This invention relates to an electrically powered element and a battery therefor which is particularly but not exclusively designed and arranged to provide an electrically powered earring which can readily be attached to the pierced ear of a wearer.
There have been previous proposals to provide an illuminated earring which thus provides an attractive appearance on the ear of the wearer where the light source comprises a diode at the front mounting of a stud which inserts through the ear with a battery power source mounted at the end of the stud behind the ear lobe. An example of this arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,645 (Glatter) issued Jul. 10, 1984. This arrangement mounts a battery housing on the free end of the shaft and carries two batteries in the housing for the light source. This arrangement has the disadvantage that it is unable to provide a clamping effect of the housing of the battery against the ear lobe so that the battery housing can be spaced away from the rear of the ear lobe and the housing and the battery is relatively heavy thus tending to pull down the rear of the earring and interfere with the attractive appearance of the structure on the ear.
It is one object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an improved electrically powered earring.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide an improved mounting for a battery in combination with an electrically powered element powered by the battery.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an earring for a pierced ear, said earring comprising, in combination:
an electrically powered element, adapted to be worn and displayed on an outer face of the ear lobe of the ear, the electrically powered element having a positive and negative electrical connection for receiving an electrical current;
an elongate shaft mechanically and electrically connected at one end to said electrically powered element and adapted for an opposed free end to be passed through a pierced hole in the ear;
and a battery power source, adapted to be worn on and located behind said ear, and having an opening through the battery to receive the shaft therethrough, the battery defining a positive and a negative terminal arranged to directly electrically connect to first and second contact elements on the shaft for connection to the respective connections of the electrically powered element.
Preferably the shaft has portions thereof axially spaced thereon for directly contacting the terminals of the battery.
Preferably the battery carries a clasp for clamping onto the shaft.
Preferably the clasp is arranged on a side of the battery opposite to the ear lobe so as to press the battery directly against the rear face of the ear lobe and to clamp onto the free end portion of the shaft.
Preferably the opening in the battery is dimensioned to be a sliding fit on said shaft.
Preferably the cathode of said battery is attached to the earring clasp.
Preferably the current passes from the battery to the electrically powered element when the battery is slid onto the shaft and the anode of the battery comes in contact with the first contact of said shaft and the cathode/clasp comes in contact with the second contact of said shaft.
Preferably said electrically powered element comprises a light source or other powered elements such as small motors may also be provided for driving by the battery.
Preferably said light source includes a synthetic gemstone and a light-emitting diode (LED) arranged to illuminate the gemstone, either by placing the diode behind the gemstone or by encasing the diode within a gemstone.
Preferably the shaft includes a first piece which is a conductive tube dimensioned to fit through a pierced ear, forming the external coaxial conductor and having one end permanently connected to one terminal of said electrically powered element, a second piece which is a conductive rod portion longer than the first piece and having two ends, where one end is dimensioned to fit inside the first piece to form a center coaxial conductor, and is permanently connected to the other terminal of said electrically powered element with an opposite end extending beyond the first piece, and a third piece which is an insulating sleeve between the first and second pieces so as to isolate them electrically.
Preferably the second piece is dimensioned to have the same external radius as the first piece.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a combination of a battery and an electrically powered element powered thereby comprising:
an electrically powered element having a positive and negative electrical connection for receiving an electrical current;
an elongate shaft mechanically and electrically connected at one end to said electrically powered element and extending therefrom;
and a battery power source having an opening through the battery to receive the shaft therethrough, the battery defining a positive and a negative terminal arranged to directly electrically connect to first and second contact elements on the shaft for connection to the respective connections of the electrically powered element.